Stamkos these playoffs?

[Deen]

You think teams are saying "hey, I know this line is the top scoring line in the playoffs, and was the top scoring line all season, but we're not going to focus on them."

Uh no. Do you understand 1st line and 2nd line match-ups? You don't usually play your 2nd best defensive player against their statistically best forward. Johnson has been great, but he is still 5'8 and not the player Stamkos is despite his totals.

 

[DFC]

The only reason Johnson has been so successful is because the other teams are trying to shut Stamkos down. That is why secondary scoring is so important. Stammer is figuring out how to work around this.

You shouldn't make statements like this about teams you don't watch. Because this isn't even close to reality. If this was true (and it's not), coaches would be morons to focus on one guy rather than three guys who torch teams night after night.

 

[DFC]

Uh no. Do you understand 1st line and 2nd line match-ups? You don't usually play your 2nd best defensive player against their statistically best forward. Johnson has been great, but he is still 5'8 and not the player Stamkos is despite his totals.

Back in November, Mike Babcock recognized that the Triplets were Tampa Bay's biggest threat. He played them accordingly. Most teams followed suit.

 

[Deen]

Back in November, Mike Babcock recognized that the Triplets were Tampa Bay's biggest threat. He played them accordingly. Most teams followed suit.

Let the overrating of Babcock begin

 

[PaulGG]

It is great that Bolts no longer live or die based upon Stammer scoring. He has become a great captain and I would resign him for as long as we can. 42 goals this season is impressive and he has played very hard in the playoffs. A few more goals would be nice but I'm not complaining.

 

[Deen]

It is great that Bolts no longer live or die based upon Stammer scoring. He has become a great captain and I would resign him for as long as we can. 42 goals this season is impressive and he has played very hard in the playoffs. A few more goals would be nice but I'm not complaining.

Stamkos is the heart of the team. He is in the same situation as Crosby. Great release, but no one to put it in his sweet spot. Ovechkin battled the same thing, but he overcame it in leaps and bounds.

 

[DFC]

Let the overrating of Babcock begin

He was the first to see it. Almost every team has recognized it since. The idea that Stamkos plays the better competition is a myth. There was a TSN article about it a while ago.

 

[Deen]

He was the first to see it. Almost every team has recognized it since. The idea that Stamkos plays the better competition is a myth. There was a TSN article about it a while ago.

Stamkos is a goal scorer. His skills are like having a Ferrari engine that can melt your face off. He is NOT a rounded player however. His D skills are better than good. I just don't think he can carry it both ways.

 

[The Macho King]

He was the first to see it. Almost every team has recognized it since. The idea that Stamkos plays the better competition is a myth. There was a TSN article about it a while ago.

It was the b2b with Chicago and Detroit that both made the match up. I remember they put Toews on Johnson as well.

Let the guys who NEVER WATCH THE LIGHTNING tell us what we're seeing. The advanced stats and - of course - watching the friggin games shows us that when given the opportunity, teams have spent most of their energy shutting down TKO. Bergeron was on Johnson. Toews was on Johnson. Datsyuk (during the reg. season) and Glendenning were on Johnson. Hell, tonight Coop didn't even try to avoid McD/G with Johnson - he dared them to shut TKO down.

Stamkos is the one that has actually had the more favorable match ups.

 

[Sky04]

Tampa fans are negative in regards to Stamkos because they've seen how great he can be. Compared to those great years he was nowhere near the same level this season. It's the same way Pittsburgh fans have been hard on Crosby this season if you read through their message board, or how Sens fans were hard on Karlsson last season and the first part of this one. When you have a star who does not play as they have in the recent past, it's frustrating. Of course superstar players won't become absolute garbage, but even being 'good' is not good enough.

I will say, Johnson has the much better linemates- Palat and Kucherov are studs, and Stamkos lost St.Louis who he had great chemistry with and who obviously helped him greatly. That loss, plus whatever mental or physical challenges he's facing coming back from that bad injury last season are likely playing a large role in his lesser play this year.

I'm curious Tampa fans, going forward the next few years, which player do you think will be better, and which player do you value more, Johnson or Stamkos? Doesn't matter much since they're both on your team [must be nice], but I'm interested to hear anyway.

Holy ****, someone who finally understands!! God bless.

 

[LightningStorm]

It was painful watching him struggle in the Detroit series, but he was good against Montreal and the past 2 games he's had a goal and an assist apiece, so I'm hoping he can pick up some consistency. Problem is he hasn't consistently had a playmaker on his line, with Callahan and Killorn being his linemates for most of the season. Makes me even more angry for how we've screwed up Drouin's development. He is made to be a winger on Stamkos's line.

 

[5 4 Fighting]

Johnson is the best player remaining in the playoffs. Just a generational player.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Stamkos is the heart of the team. He is in the same situation as Crosby. Great release, but no one to put it in his sweet spot. Ovechkin battled the same thing, but he overcame it in leaps and bounds.

Yup, and we hope that job will be taken by Drouin soon enough. BUT don't underrate T.J., as he's probably in the top 10 in the league for forwards who can truly create their own offense and chances.

 

[FinnLightning26]

Tampa fans are negative in regards to Stamkos because they've seen how great he can be. Compared to those great years he was nowhere near the same level this season. It's the same way Pittsburgh fans have been hard on Crosby this season if you read through their message board, or how Sens fans were hard on Karlsson last season and the first part of this one. When you have a star who does not play as they have in the recent past, it's frustrating. Of course superstar players won't become absolute garbage, but even being 'good' is not good enough.

I will say, Johnson has the much better linemates- Palat and Kucherov are studs, and Stamkos lost St.Louis who he had great chemistry with and who obviously helped him greatly. That loss, plus whatever mental or physical challenges he's facing coming back from that bad injury last season are likely playing a large role in his lesser play this year.

I'm curious Tampa fans, going forward the next few years, which player do you think will be better, and which player do you value more, Johnson or Stamkos? Doesn't matter much since they're both on your team [must be nice], but I'm interested to hear anyway.

That question is unfair. It's like making you choose between your two favourite toys as a kid. After this year, I'm leaning on Johnson. He isn't good just offensively, he's good defensively too. He plays in every situation, 5-on-5, PP and PK and is incredibly important to our success.

Like you said, we are hard on Stamkos because we've seen what he can do and for whatever reason he hasn't been at his best this year. He's been improving lately though and I think he has had his best stretch of games for the whole year in the last 7 to 8 games. Last night he looked like the pre-injury Stamkos. Hitting guys all over the place, shooting the puck, going to the net, skating like a wind and of course scoring. Almost brought a tear to my eye.

 

[DFC]

That question is unfair. It's like making you choose between your two favourite toys as a kid. After this year, I'm leaning on Johnson. He isn't good just offensively, he's good defensively too. He plays in every situation, 5-on-5, PP and PK and is incredibly important to our success.

Like you said, we are hard on Stamkos because we've seen what he can do and for whatever reason he hasn't been at his best this year. He's been improving lately though and I think he has had his best stretch of games for the whole year in the last 7 to 8 games. Last night he looked like the pre-injury Stamkos. Hitting guys all over the place, shooting the puck, going to the net, skating like a wind and of course scoring. Almost brought a tear to my eye.

It actually was weirdly emotional to see him play like that again. I mentioned in another thread, it felt like seeing an old friend you weren't sure you'd ever see again. Let's just hope it's a sign of things to come. We'll be awfully hard to deal with if Stamkos has, indeed, finally found his top gear.

 

[Ishdul]

Now tied for 2nd in the playoffs in scoring.

 

[Psychoil]

It is great that Bolts no longer live or die based upon Stammer scoring. He has become a great captain and I would resign him for as long as we can. 42 goals this season is impressive and he has played very hard in the playoffs. A few more goals would be nice but I'm not complaining.

Lol looks like ur getting ur wish. He looks awesome tonight. I really like stammer

 

[DFC]

It's almost time to say "he's back." Almost. We've been waiting all year to see this guy. I won't say he's back just yet because I don't want to jinx anything.

 

[Sky04]

It's almost time to say "he's back." Almost. We've been waiting all year to see this guy. I won't say he's back just yet because I don't want to jinx anything.

**** it I'll say it, he's back baby.

Now please go on and tell us that the Stamkos the last 10 games is the same as the Stamkos from the previous 90+.

 

[DFC]

Steven Stamkos's season has followed the exact storyline as Charlie Sheen's character in Major League II.

 

[Jtown]

stamkos just looks so much more comfortable at wing. It may be in tbl best interest to move him there full time.

 

[Bolt32]

**** it I'll say it, he's back baby.

Now please go on and tell us that the Stamkos the last 10 games is the same as the Stamkos from the previous 90+.

He's back, but now as a winger. Long term problem. Have to find a future 2nd line center now behind Johnson. Anyways, I'm getting ahead of my self. It's a beauty to see the real Stamkos to step up!

 

[DFC]

He's back, but now as a winger. Long term problem. Have to find a future 2nd line center now behind Johnson. Anyways, I'm getting ahead of my self. It's a beauty to see the real Stamkos to step up!

Lots of time to solve that. Flip isn't going anywhere for the time being and he and Stamkos sparked some very unlikely chemistry. Namestnikov will be better next year, and we might yet shift Drouin back to C. The main thing is we have a legit #1 in Johnson, which allows us to move Stamkos and still be deep down the middle.

In terms of a 1-2 punch it's a little more Toews/Kane now, a little less Crosby/Malkin.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

He's back, but now as a winger. Long term problem.

Not really.

He's playing C on defense, but RW on offense. I don't see an issue.

 

[TBL12345]

It is hilarious that everyone is calling Cooper a "genius" right now. I, along with many others, have been clamoring for this change for years. Steven Stamkos is not and has never been a "natural" center. Instead, this perception was created by the Canadian brain trust for the good old' number one overall Canadian boy. To this point of his career, has he been above average defensively? No. Does he play better with the puck on his stick and when he can control the pace of the game? Not even close - that is laughable. Does he have blazing speed and a world class shot? Yes. Does he play better without the puck? Yes. He is tailor-made to be a world class winger. He is not Crosby and simply does not possess that skill set. If you understand the game and have been watching him closely his entire clear, this has been glaringly obvious. All you have to do is watch past film of him trying to control the puck and watch any of the several dozen inopportune turn overs or errant passes that he has made.

Anyways, it is great that he has been moved to right wing because it is his natural position. He can take advantage of his speed, shot and offensive instincts. I must admit, however, that he is now playing fantastic - which is such a relief! And his leadership, tenacity and physicality has been key during this run. He has really stepped up and it is great to watch.

Regarding the "need" to find another top-2 centerman, that is unnecessary. Although Yzerman does not meddle in Cooper's business and does not not usurp his role, he was perceptive enough to see that Stamkos was a winger. So guess what: He went ahead drafted a player born to play center and feed Stamkos for the rest of his career. His name is Jonathan Drouin. The puck sticks to his stick, he has elite vision and play making ability.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride, folks. The next few years are going to be a lot of fun.